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Saturday, 31 August 2013

XO magazine - MUSIC: #FIRSTLISTEN AMELLE - ‘LOVE IS ALL WE NEED’

The genre of pop music can be a crazy thing, sometimes reaching soap opera proportions - especially girl groups (has there ever been a girl group spared the dramas of breakup rumours, egos, and all around cattiness?). But every now and then you’ll have a member of said group, rise above all the drama and pave their own way. Meet Amelle, who if you didn’t know is 1/3 of the current incarnation of UK mega-trio, the Sugababes. Last week saw the release of her new solo single, ‘Love Is All We Need’, a collaboration with Adam J and the Nightcrashers. The single is typical club fare - featuring dupstep-esque break downs, pulsating beats and a shimmery melody. But what really stands out with this track is Amelle’s vocals, which are as soulful and powerful as ever. This track though isn’t a representation of where her debut solo album is going though. “‘Love Is All You Need” is a really fun track and a great collaboration between Adam J and I, as it really happened quite organic and sonically, but the album will sound a little different. Its more soulful and quirky. I really experimented and took my time in seeing where I wanted to go. Which was great because my label gave me a lot of time and freedom to do so.” It was that freedom that really allowed her to create something a bit different than what people might expect. After spending a year and a half in the studio, the album is “a nice mix of everything, there’s ballads, uptempo songs, its cheeky and quirky, but most importantly its me and I just hope people are into it ya know?” Her favourite track on the album? She has two: ’Come On” ( a mid tempo ballad “very Alicia keys and sentimental as there is a real story behind it”) and ‘Wrigley’s Extra” (like the chewing gum! ) are her standouts.

While we still have a while before the album debuts (the release date is slated for early 2014), Amelle will release another collaboration track this fall, and then her big solo debut after. But for now we’ll be keeping ‘Love Is All We Need” on repeat and keeping our eyes and ears on alert for more!

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The Jade Ewen Story so far...

Jade Almarie Louise Ewen (born 24 January 1988) is an English singer, songwriter, actress and member of the Sugababes. Ewen began her singing career in the girl group Trinity Stone signed to Sony BMG in 2005, but they disbanded in 2007 with no album released. In 2009, she represented the UK at the 2009 Eurovision Song Contest performing the Andrew Lloyd Webber / Diane Warren penned "It's My Time" after winning the UK national selection. She achieved 5th place, cementing her as the most successful British Eurovision act since 2002. She replaced Keisha Buchanan in the Sugababes in September 2009, while at the time still signed to Polydor Records.

Ewen was born and brought up in Plaistow, London, to a Jamaican mother, Carol and a Scottish-Sicilian father, Trevor. Trevor is blind and partially deaf, while Carol is partially blind. Ewen was a carer to both her parents and two younger siblings, Shereen and Kiel.She received a scholarship to the Sylvia Young Theatre School. As a student at Sylvia, she appeared in The Bill, Casualty and Mr. Harvey Lights a Candle.Ewen also won the part of Nala in The Lion King at the West End at the age of twelve. Ewen appeared in the children's dance DVD, entitled How To Dance. She also featured briefly in the video for pop rock band Busted's "What I Go to School For".

Between 2003 and 2004 she appeared in the Australian series Out There. In 2005, Ewen became a member of the girl group Trinity Stone which was signed to Sony BMG. The group disbanded in 2007. She later recorded with rapper Kwamé, who was impressed with her work on MySpace. She released a digital single, "Got You" in 2008 under Kwame's Make Noise label. Ewen co-wrote the song "A Little Bit" for the girl group Booty Luv and also "Let Me Be Me" for Jessica Mauboy. In early 2009, Ewen acted in the first episode of the series, Myths.

In January 2009, Ewen was approached and participated in the UK national selection for the Eurovision Song Contest 2009. She was eventually selected to represent the UK with the song "It's My Time" composed by Andrew Lloyd Webber who accompanied her on piano onstage. Ewen was signed with Polydor Records in February and began working on her debut album. In May Ewen finished in fifth place, the highest placing for the United Kingdom since 2002.

In September 2009, it was announced that Ewen had joined the Sugababes as the replacement for Keisha Buchanan.While her second single, "My Man" had been released in the same week, promotional activities for the single were cancelled. Although the single still managed to reach #35 in the charts. In an interview with the BBC, Ewen confirmed her commitment to the Sugababes as her main priority and that her solo album was put on hold. "About a Girl" later debuted at number eight in the UK. Sweet 7 was released in early 2010 after multiple delays from late 2009, and charted at #14 on the UK albums chart. In late 2010 Jade was revealed as the new face of Miss Ultimo lingerie, modelling the lingerie fashion lines Autumn/Winter collection for 2010.

A Brief History of The Sugababes

Sugababes are an English pop girl group based in London, consisting of members Heidi Range, Amelle Berrabah and Jade Ewen. The Guinness Book of World Records have named the Sugababes as the most successful female act of the 21st century with six UK number one singles and eighteen UK top ten hits.

Sugababes were formed in 1998 by founding members Siobhán Donaghy, Mutya Buena and Keisha Buchanan. In 2001, after just one album and some initial success, Donaghy departed and the introduction of Range in the same year was met with the commercial success. The group survived a second line-up change in December 2005, when Buena left the band and was subsequently replaced by Berrabah. In September 2009, it was confirmed that after eleven years in the band, Buchanan was no longer part of the group and had been replaced by Jade Ewen.